11 thoughts on “New Feature- Ask Dr Herrera”

Scott:
This is Dr. Herrera’s answer. All I did is translate:
The Bulgarian system emerged from the Soviet system. It’s particularities are high intensity and little attention to GPP. The Bulgarian system is very demanding in the application of recovery systems which makes lifters prone to injuries and lifters have very short competitive life, it’s possible that this would be the cause of the decreasing results of the Bulgarian team in the last three Olympic games and other countries that use that system started to question it.
Best,
Dr. Alfredo Herrera.
Translated by Ivan Rojas

Dr. Herrera’s answer to Kim Goss question:
I don’t have that information, but I think it was his personal style of executing the jerk as it was his very personal way of starting the jerk, both are not determining in the mechanics of the movement because the most important phase of the jerk is the deep as well as the push and he did dominate that phase. He was not a model of techique, but his strength and explosive strength were exceptional. A. Vorobiov in his book WEIGHTLIFTING mentions vardanyan’s vertical jump of being 100 cm and long jump 364 cm. Basically his plyometric level was exceptional.

Answer to Jim Fitzgibbon’s question:
I don’t know the casue of pain and how bad it is. In my experience nagging pain could be caused by:
1.- Not warming up properly
2.- Bad technical execution of the exercise
3.-Deep disproportion between flexor muscles and extensor muscles which happens with explosive movements.
For the first cause I’d advice to warm up properly and cover the muscles to keep them warm.
For the second cause a technical analysis would be propere and make the correction. It could be caused by strength disproportion of the leg and back muscles .
The third cause is mostly cause by not having strong hamstrings and they should be strengthen in an isolated form.
As far as intensity of pain:
1.- When lifter feels the pain then it goes away: It’s not serious and could be by local muscle fatigue.
2.- When pain comes and goes and the comes again: Could be somewhat serious and shoul be seen by a doctor. It’s recommended to take muscle relaxers. cold/heat contrast, stretching.
3.- It pain gets worse and worse: stop training and see a doctor.

hello mr herrera.i want to ask you if the programs in past soviet union has more assistance exercises than power versions of the classical lifts, squats, pulls, and lifts from the racks(jerk power jerk)?if they used could you write which assistance exercises they used?

Dr. Herrera, Have you ever thought of creating a certification course in the format USAW provides for coaches, but for the Russian system? I would sign up and fly out in a second! I would rather be certified in the Russian System, and under someone that has actually coached champions (you)….as Im sure you could understand. Please consider. Thank you for your time!